I am in Michigan where it drops below zero degrees through winter. I have a few pond plants I’d like to bring inside and try to save for next year. It’s not that they’re expensive to repurchase but they are incredibly hard to find around here! I like to have 1/3 of my pond covered in plants and trying to locate them has proven to be a big pain. I currently have some water lettuce, water hyacinth, and rain lily plants that will not survive winter. Any helpful tips on how to keep them inside for a few months! Thanks!
Hi Angela, I have successfully overwintered pond plants for the same reasons you state.
There are two surefire ways to keep water hyacinth. One is for just maintaining what you have the other is for propagation. Both use a ten-gallon aquarium or clear container.
Maintenance: south or west window location, warm water (about 80 F constant...not cold at night) supplemental lighting during short photoperiod of December - February. Misting twice daily is important. The plants will typically get smaller which is no problem but watch for signs of decay like yellow or gooey leaves. In that case, you might need to add a small amount of aquarium plant fertilizer or increase light intensity.
Propagation: same conditions as above but add a three inch layer of fresh potting soil to the tank and keep the water level so that the plants roots extend to the soil. You will need intense lighting and supplemental fertilizer. I put a diluted solution of plant fertilizer in a spray bottle and mist the plants. They really like that.
Water lettuce can be kept going by floating it in an extremely brightly illuminated aquarium. I use a block of styrofoam the width of the tank to keep the water lettuce directly under the light. The filter current will otherwise push the plant into a dimly lit corner. First, cut a hole in the middle of the styrofoam and wedge it between the tank’s sides. Drop the water lettuce in the hole. Mist the plant twice daily.
The most important part of overwintering your floating plants is careful reintroduction into the pond. This is where most failures occur. The plants don’t like cold water so make sure your pond water is warm. I recommend 70 F.
And most importantly, slowly acclimate them to the sunshine. Introduction to bright sunlight without a gentle acclimation will kill them for certain. Sorry for the long answer (that’s what you get from a retired columnist
) but the above works. Good luck.
Stephen
